Benedikt Hipp's 'Magma' at Monitor Roma: Ceramic Sculptures and the Creative Process

Benedikt Hipp (born 1977 in Munich), a Bavarian sculptor active in Finning and recently a fellow at Villa Massimo in Rome, presents 'Magma' at Monitor Roma. The exhibition focuses on his ceramic works, which are rare and anachronistic in contemporary art. The title alludes to the mixture and transformation of clay under human control, with Hipp monitoring the kiln's temperature and wood type to achieve geological, ancestral colors and forms. The sculptures rest on wooden bases made and painted by the artist, evoking stalagmites, anthropomorphic shapes, and a fluid, unpredictable continuity. The installation leads from the sculptures, which appear to be emerging, to large glossy oil and varnish paintings that participate in the creative process. A small painting titled 'Altdorfer' references 16th-century German master Albrecht Altdorfer, opening a perspective onto a Nordic landscape. The exhibition feels like the aftermath of an earthquake or a Hesiodic struggle, immersing viewers in a lucid, metaphysical, yet consoling day after. The show is curated by Francesca Bottari, an art historian who teaches in Rome and has worked at the Mibact educational services center.